Phil Earley, who runs the Amazing 12 programme, gives his insight into the impact of mindset and motivation
This may appear a strange thing to say, given I am in the business of helping people change for the better, but I feel people are too often confused mindset and motivation are the same thing.
Motivation’ per se, in my opinion, is akin to an imaginary swing door’ allowing us the opportunity to alleviate feelings of guilt, having made a choice not to do something initially motivated’ to do.
As the acclaimed psychiatrist Dr Steve Peters, who has worked with elite athletes such as Sir Chris Hoy, has stated “When you decide to do something, remind yourself that it is commitment not motivation that matters.”
You must stop-look-listen to yourself. Remember why you are doing it, why you started and where you want to be.
In the case of fitness, a lack of motivation’ when broken down is often little more than a list of excuses – I’m too busy’, I could never do that’, they were born lucky’, its easier for them’
and so on.
It isn’t easier for them’, every single person, no matter their ability, has to fight their self doubts and challenge their willpower when it comes to doing something that requires discipline and consistent effort. This is attitude, this is mindset.
Of course life will occasionally throw up obstacles, but how we choose to react will determine our level of success.
I recall a client once saying it’s ok for you as you’ve got your own gym’. Factually I do have my own gym, in fact I have training equipment at home too, but sadly there is no Fantasia’ effect (reference Disney film made, 1940) wherein the weights move themselves around to save me the effort!
Our decisions are often dictated by emotions of pain’ and pleasure’; in relation to fitness training – one (pain of training / nutrition commitment) precedes the other (the pleasure of results) and has spawned an unquenchable search for some magic bullet’ – let me save you time and money, there isn’t one.
You must stop-look-listen to yourself. Remember why you are doing it, why you started and where you want to be. As Sir Bradley Wiggins once said “You have to keep your chimp in the cage, your chimp is your emotional side, and in a pressure situation you have to react with logic, not emotion.”
If you would like to learn more about one of the world’s leading systematic approaches to amazing changes in mind and body in as little as 6 weeks, we would love to hear from you.
Theamazing12newcastle.com, Its-fitness.co.uk, M:07941354125
